In the field of medicine, procedures are done to obtain biopsy samples or to place drainage tubes within the body. To assist in such procedures, an ultrasound image may be obtained to guide the biopsy needle or drainage tube into proper position. Ultrasound imaging of this sort is accomplished by use of an ultrasound transducer probe touching the body near the location for puncture of the skin and tissues by the needle or cannula. In order to assist in placement of the needle or tube, needle guides have been developed to fastened to or be incorporated within the ultrasound transducer probe. The biopsy needle or drainage cannula can be guided by the attached or incorporated guide. Many of such prior art devices either require the needle to remain attached to the transducer until the needle is withdrawn from the body or else they utilize traps or complex pathways for the needle to travel to be released from the transducer probe after the transducer probe is no longer needed. Such prior art devices result in the operator having to keep the transducer resting on the body while the biopsy sample is retrieved or else they give rise to discomfort for the patient and inconvenience for the physician performing the procedure while disconnecting the placed needle or cannula from the ultrasound transducer probe.